Polymer Clay Purse

Materials:

Heart-in-Handbag purse form*
4 gold, 1 black, 1 silver Premo Sculpey blocks
JudiKins leaf stamp #2248J (or other deeply textured stamp/button)
QuickTite brush-on super glue
automotive protectant spray (Armor-All or Sun-of-a-Gun)
600 -, 800-, 1000- and 1500-grit automotive-grade sandpaper
Future acrylic floor polish
12" clear acrylic rod
clay blade
craft knife
pasta machine
small paint brush
knitting needle or bamboo skewer
waxed paper
sponge or rag
buffing wheel (or cotton cloth or denim)
12" x 12" or 8" x 8" smooth ceramic tile for working/baking surface
pearls or crystals and adhesive (optional )

*Many new or used evening bags can be stripped of outside covering and covered with clay. Be cautious of ones with plastic components. Some of these may melt or burn when baking. Steps:

1. Condition two blocks of gold metallic clay and roll out through largest setting of pasta machine. Make sure clay sheet is wide and long enough to cover one side of purse. Lay on waxed paper.

5. When both sides have been covered and have cooled, wet a piece of 600-grit sandpaper and sand both sides of the purse for several minutes, frequently rinsing sandpaper under running water. Frequently wipe clay surface with a wet rag or sponge to remove sanding residue.

6. Repeat step 5 three more times, using progressively higher grit sandpaper. After final sanding, clean purse with damp sponge and polish on buffing wheel. If buffing wheel is not available, vigorously rub clay surface with a piece of cotton or denim cloth. Brush a layer of Future floor cleaner across clay surfaces and set aside to dry.

Millifiori Border Cane

2. Roll/reduce cane with palm of hand to 3/4-inch in diameter. Place a skewer or knitting needle along the top length of the cane; press it down halfway into the cane and remove (figure E).

3. Press the partially divided sections back together and reshape the cane by rolling with palm of hand on work surface (figure F).

4. Continue rolling until the cane is 1/2 inch in diameter. Remove the distorted ends with a clay blade and cut the cane in half.
forming . Let it rest a day or two to firm up, or place it in a plastic bag in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm before cutting.

6. Using a very sharp clay blade, cut 1/16-inch-thick slices (figure G) and super glue around the top, sides, and bottom edges of the purse, layering the tips of each cane slice over the back end of the one before it. Repeat on the other side of purse (figure H).

7. If desired, embellish top and bottom centers of purse by pressing freshwater pearls into small balls of silver clay (figure I). Bake for 30 minutes in a 270-degree oven. Note: After cooling, pearls should be gently pried off and reattached using a two-part epoxy.